Wafer storage and shipping container

ABSTRACT

A housing having a generally circular cross section with a wafer-receiving cavity therein and an opening having an inner dimension larger than the peripheral dimension of the wafer, an inner surface of said cavity which tapers inwardly from the outer edges thereof generally toward the center and away from the opening so that only the outermost edges of the wafer touch the sides of the cavity, a spring having a generally semispherical shape positioned above the wafer to engage only the edges thereof and a cover or a similar housing affixed over the opening of the cavity in sealing engagement in abutting relationship with the central portion of the spring to hold the wafer relatively immovable.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Victor C. Wallestad 2,645,375 7/1953 Topfer 1 220/4 Edina; 2,765,950 10/1956 Wheeler 220/42(A)X Joel A. Elftmann, Bloomington, Minn. 2,940,589 6/1960 Silverman 206/5(A) [21] Appl. No. 750,104 3,467,242 9/1969 DeRousse 206/1 1 1 Filed 's- OTHER REFERENCES 22:25:: #:85633 2 Inc IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin-Wafer Package, Vol. 8

I Chaska Min. No. 1 1 April 1966 Pg. 1642 Copy In 206 1 a cor oration of Minne ota Primary Examiner-Donald F. Norton Attorney- Merchant & Gould [54] WAFER STORAGE AND SHIPPING CONTAINER 2 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

. [52] US. Cl ..t 206/1, S A A housing having a generally circular cross 215/6, 215/37, 215/38: 220/4, 220/42, 2 tion with a wafer-receiving cavity therein and an opening hav- 206/65 ing an inner dimension larger than the peripheral dimension of 365d 21/02 the wafer, an inner surface of said cavity which tapers in- 365d 81/08 wardly from the outer edges thereof generally toward the [50] Field of Search 206/1, 65F, center and away f the opening so thatfonly the outermost 5A; 220/42A cur-wry); 215/10 edges of the wafer touch the sides of the cavity, a spring having a generally semispherical shape positioned above the [56] References Clted wafer to engage only the edges thereof and a cover or a similar UNITED STATES PATENTS housing affixed over the opening of the cavity in sealing en- 856,463 6/1907 Goss et a1. 206/18 gagement in abutting relationship with the central portion of 2,544,095 3/1951 Kower 220/42(A) the spring to hold the wafer relatively immovable.

i ll 1 e b h 45 I5- 7 ll PATENTED JAN sum 7 3.552.548

i M'm b 1 +5 NVENTORS VICTOR C. JALLESTAD JOEL, A. ELFTMAIVN ATTORNEYS .therebetween.

' 2-2 in FIG. I;

WAFER STORAGE AND SHIPPING CONTAINER fixed thereto to indicate different housings. Because all of the v 1 i Y housings are substantially similar only one housing will be ex- I I plained in detail. BACKGROUND OF E NVENT I The housing 100 has afirst generally tubular portion 11a 1' Field fth [mention I l 5 with a second generally tubular portion 12a coaxially affixed in the production of integrated circuits and the like it is to one end Ihel'eof- Bmh the first and second tubular P mh practice f company t ak h Which 11a and 120 have generally circular cross sections in this emare f d from silicone, germanium or the like,.-and h bodirnent and the inner diameter of the first tubular portion vthem to another compahywhich then pmdhces the integrates! 11: IS somewhat lgzgerthan the outer diameter of the second circuits. During shipping and handling of thewafers it is ex- I I P 1 The housings P g 104 are tremely important that at least one flat surface thereof strucvted Q that h first hh P through d can remains completely smooth and virtually untouched; I Any v be placed 111 radial overlying relationship with thesecond mslight rubbing of foreign material on the .surface of the wafer portons through 12d of an adlacem hhusmg may produce microgroovestherein which render that portion 1' 5 of the wafer unusable. Further, the wafers must be maintained The housing 100 has a partition -15a extending generally relative), clean and free of deposits of foreignmatefiah such transversely across the tubular portion lla. In the present emas dust and the like, thereon.- t a v I bodiment the first tubular portion Ila, the second tubular por- In addition to wafers for integrated circuits it; is generally and h p h hh are informed as ah lhtegral desirable to utilize individual containers for a great many the-mumon lommg the Sides at approximately other devices. In discussing the present invention, the

junction of the first tubular portion 11a and the second tubupreferred embodiment is a containerfor wafers but it should lar portion 12a. The partition 15a has an inner surface 16a he understood that many other uses foristheppiresem invention which, in con unction with the second tubular portion 12a,

defines a cavity 17a inv the housing 10a. The inner surface 160 will be apparent. I h I h Description Ofthe Prior Art I I tapers inwardly from the second tubular portion 120 toward In the prior art many types individual cohtainets e the centerof the inner surface 16a and away from the open described some of which are extremely complicated and exehd of the cavity -by the outermost end of the pensive and the others of whichiare unrt'lialrlle for storing 9 tubular Portion. T the fl ofthe cavity devices as delicate, as wafers for integrated circuits; All of the Increases gradually h h edges Ihereof toward the prior art containers are difficult and inconvenient'to handle- -.e In the Preeeht h e i the Inner surface 166 H apersalong a generally straight line but it should be un- "SUMMARY 'OF THE INVENTION erstood .that other amounts of taper orgeotnetrical sha es of I a I P h prsentinvgh a he-L nner surface 16a-might he utilized if theyprovide the containerhaving a therem with a surfa functions of thlsapparatus' I .I K ln this'emb'odiment the thickness of the artition 15a is mwaidlyfmm the e f an'q'aw-ay i i uniform so that the surface opposite the inger surface 16a opening of cavity mi sh cngag'e'd tapers ina similar fashion. A plurality of radially extending filhousfiig to close. the opening The -Fh further "'F a i lets 18a are providedbetween the surface of the partition 15a mummy of mzitmg rampishapqdproleqlonslbetweeili@dlany. I opposite the inner surface 16a .and the first tubular portion overlymg pomons ofl'the covet and the housmgto fncuonauy 0 11a to prevent relative movement of the partition 15a. The

engage. the cover on the housing slightriarymvemem first tubular portion 11a. extends longitudinally past the ex- I posed surfaces of the fillets 18a a sufficient distance to allow n is an object ofthe f f i 9 proyldea new and i the tubular portion 12b of a housing 10b to be positioned f storage i shipping f therein. The extended end of the tubular portion llaand the h i a further .object of the present pi to provide a junction of the tubular portions 11b and 12b of the housing 3335i 223? meansv'forengaging a cover or a 10b are constructed so that the tubular portions 11a and 11b 3 I mate in generally end-to-end abutting engagement while the g z l gi ig i g gfi 2;1:22;; ggfi fi gfigfix tubular portion 11a is in radially overlying relationship to the handle v tubular portion 12b. In a similar fashion additional housings nd h 5. ts of this invention will become I 100 can be fitted onto housing 10b and 10d onto 10c, etc. ese a c P The first tubular portion lla'has a plurality of ramp-shaped parent to those skilled in the art upon considerat on of the acportions 25a extending radially inwardly from the inner .companymg Speed-canon clalms'iand drawings periphery thereof. The ramp-shaped portions 250 are directed BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS so that the inner diametric dimension of the first tubular pora l a tion 11a, gradually decreases from adjacent the end of one Referring to the drawings, wherein like-characters indicate ,rampnshahed portion 25am adjaceht the end f the succeuh like pa h g the 5 ing ramp-shaped portion 25a moving in a clockwise direction,

1 IS a i In p pee wf a Plufahty ofeomamer in FIG. 3. In FIG. 3 four ramp-shaped portions 25a are illushousihgs engaged together W Q engaged 6O trated but is should beunderstood that more or less might be h g; I I j t I v I i utilized if desired. Thesecond tubular portion 12 b of the 2 15 a enlarged seeuohal seeh'fi'om h housing 1%, which is fitted within the first tubularportion 11a I I I I I I I I of the housing 100 in FIG. 2, has a-plurality of ramp-shaped J 315 a e Y somewhatelmmishedmslle, as I portions 26b extending radially outwardlyfrom the outer n flomfhelllle I periphery thereof. The ramp-shaped portions 26b have. a 4 15 3 'Vlew boimm Plan, somewhat dhhlmshed somewhat sharper incline so that the housings 10a and 10b sizemfthe containers illush'atedih FIG-hand can be easily fitted together, and the inclines of the ramp- 5' h exploded e perspectfvei shaped portions26b are directed oppositely to the inclines of diminished in size, of the contain rllustrated in FIG. 1. the lrampfshaped homo-m 25a Thus hotarymovemem of the housing 10a with respectxtothe housing 10b in a counter- DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT f clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. .1 causes the ramp- A pluralityof housings, generally. designated 10a, 10b, 10c shapedportions 25a to frictionally engage the ramp-shaped and 10d, are illustrated in the FIGS-Each of the housings are portions 26b and securely engage the housings 10a and 10b substantially similar and, therefore, 1 similar, parts are together. ln'this. position the housing 10d closes the cavity 17b designated with similar :numerals having-differentletters afin the housing 10!: and operates as cover means to substantially prevent dirt from entering the cavity 17b and a wafer 20 or the like from egressing therefrom. Since each of the housings a, 10b, 10c, 10d, etc., have ramp-shaped portions 25a, 26a, etc., positioned thereon, all ofthe housings 10a, 10b, etc., can be tightly engaged together in a cylindrically shaped stack.

In addition to being able to use one of the other housing 100 through 10d for a cover means, a cover 30 is provided. A cover 30 may be utilized on each of the housings 10a through 10d or a single cover 30 may be utilized on the top of a stack of housings 1011 through 10d, as illustrated in FIG. 1. The cover 30 is provided with'a longitudinally extending tubular portion 31 having diametric dimensions similar to the tubular portion 110 of the housing 10a and extending longitudinally a sufficient distance to receive the tubular portion 12a therein. A plurality of ramp-shaped portions (not shown) extend radially inwardly from the tubular portion 31 similar to the rampshaped portions 25a. The cover 30 has a partition 32 extending thereacross which closes the cavity 170 when the cover 30 is engaged with the housing 10a. The partition 32 has a portion 33 extending longitudinally outwardly therefrom in a direction opposite to the tubular portion 31 and having a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the tubular portion 11a of the housing 10a. The upwardly extending portion 33 of the cover 30 allows individually covered housings to be piled in relatively stable stacks without engaging the housings together.

Typical wafers 20 are illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 5. Referring to FIG. 2 it can be seen that the inner surface 16a of the partition a is formed so that only the extreme edges of the wafer are in contact therewith. Also, it can be seen that the inner diameter of the second tubular portion 12a and, consequently, the diametric dimensions of the cavity 17a and the opening therein, are somewhat larger than the peripheral dimensions of the wafer 20 so that the wafer 20-can be easily placed" therein without damage thereto.

Spring means generally designated 40 includes a central portion 41 having a plurality of legs 42 radiating outwardly therefrom. The central portion 41 and the legs 42 are formed generally in the shape of a portion of a sphere so that a cross section through two of the legs 42 and the central portion 41 is generally arcuate in shape. The shape and diameter of the spring means 40 are such that it can be placed in the cavity 17a and will engage the wafer 20 onlyalong portions of the edge of the wafer 20. Further, when the spring means 40 is properly positioned in the cavity 17a at least part of the central portion 41 extends beyond the end of the tubular portion 12a. Thus, when cover means (either another housing or a cover 30) are placed in engagement with the housing 10a the spring means 40 is distorted slightly downwardly. This distortion of the spring means 40 produces a bias on the edges of the wafer 20 positioned in the cavity 17a to hold the wafer 20 substantially immovable. In this embodiment the spring means 40 is formed of a resilient plastic to minimize damage to the wafer 20 at contact points, to simplify production thereof and to reduce costs. It should be understood, however, that many other spring means might be utilized if they perform the functions of the described spring means 40.

Each of the housings 10a through 10d are provided with a plurality of radially outwardly extending ears 45. In the present embodiment the ears 45 are affixed to the housings through 10d so that they are aligned axially when the housing 10a through 10d are engaged together. In shipping a stack of housings, such as housings 10a through 10d illustrated in FIG. 1, it is placed in a fiberboard tube having an inner diameter approximately equal to the diameter of the housings and the cars 45. Thus, the ears 4S serve to space the outer periphery of the housings 10a through 10d from the inner walls of the shipping tubes so that the housings 100 through 10d are cushioned somewhat against jarring and the like.

Thus, a storage and shipping container is disclosed which is extremely convenient to use and inexpensive to manufacture. The container can be utilized to store delicate individual devices such as wafers so that only the extreme edges of the wafers are in engagement with the container. Further, the containers can be engaged in stacks for shipping or utilized separately with a cover. In either instance the covers and housings are quickly and easily engageable and disengageable.

We claim:

1. A wafer storage and shipping container comprising:

a. a housing having a wafer receiving cavity therein with an opening having inner dimensions larger than the peripheral dimensions of a wafer to be positioned therein;

b. said housing having an inner surface at least partially defining the cavity, which surface tapers inwardly from adjacent the opening toward substantially the center of said surface and away from the opening, for engaging a wafer only adjacent at least portions of the edges of said wafer;

c. cover means engaged with said housing over the opening of the cavity to substantially close the opening; and

d. spring means having a central portion with a plurality of legs radiating outwardly therefrom and having a generally arcuate cross section so that the central portion of said spring means bears against said cover means and said legs bear against the inner surface of said housing adjacent the ends of said legs with the spring means properly positioned in the container, said spring means being constructed of a size, relative to a wafer positioned in said container, for engaging the wafer only adjacent the edges of said wafer.

2. A wafer storage and shipping container as set forth in claim 1 wherein the spring means is constructed from a relatively resilient plastic. 

1. A wafer storage and shipping container comprising: a. a housing having a wafer receiving cavity therein with an opening having inner dimensions larger than the peripheral dimensions of a wafer to be positioned therein; b. said housing having an inner surface at least partially defining the cavity, which surface tapers inwardly from adjacent the opening toward substantially the center of said surface and away from the opening, for engaging a wafer only adjacent at least portions of the edges of said wafer; c. cover means engaged with said housing over the opening of the cavity to substantially close the opening; and d. spring means having a central portion with a plurality of legs radiating outwardly therefrom and having a generally arcuate cross section so that the central portion of said spring means bears against said cover means and said legs bear against the inner surface of said housing adjacent the ends of said legs with the spring means properly positioned in the container, said spring means being constructed of a size, relative to a wafer positioned in said container, for engaging the wafer only adjacent the edges of said wafer.
 2. A wafer storage and shipping container as set forth in claim 1 wherein the spring means is constructed from a relatively resilient plastic. 